31 July 2016

Gangale Studios Publicity Photos: Geharis Telemachus Rhade Fainga'a

Copyright © 2016 by Dylan Gangale

Geharis Telemachus Rhade Fainga'a
I love fast food... especially when it is not quite fast enough.

Thomas Gangale's Dogs and Cats: Stories, Songs, and Images
  

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2001-4

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.

SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Star Trek: Enterprise - Where My Heart Will Take Me Russell Watson 2001
2 Close Encounters Mogwai 2001
3 Next in Line S.P.O.C.K 2001
4 Satellite Natalie Imbruglia 2001
5 Знаете, каким он парнем был? Do You Know What a Guy He Was? Николай Диденко и Больжой детский хор под управлением Виктора Попова Nikolai Didenko and Grand Children's Choir under the direction of Viktor Popov 2001
6 Spacecowboy Red Elvises 2001
7 Stargate SG-1 Main Title Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra 2001
8 Hogyssey Spacehog 2001
9 Satellites (Single Version) S.P.O.C.K 2001
10 Planets of the Universe Stevie Nicks 2001
11 STS-105 - EVA Mission Audio 2001
12 Spiral Galaxy [Canterbury Fayre] Hawkwind 2001
13 Drops of Jupiter Train 2001
14 Заточенный в песках Honed in the Desert Тарас Ворона Taras Vorona 2001
15 JT in Space Thomas Detert 2001
16 Where Rockets Fly S.P.O.C.K 2001
17 Space Trip Steps Tomoya Ohtani, Hunnid-P 2001
18 What Planet Is This? Yoko Kanno 2001
19 Космическая хора Space Choir ЗДОБ СИ ЗДУБ ZDOB SI ZDUB 2001
20 Stargate SG-1 End Title Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra 2001

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

30 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2001-3

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.

SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 The Awakening / Reactivated S.P.O.C.K 2001
2 I Feel Space Lindstrom 2001
3 The Space Age Lips Vago 2001
4 Mars Lori McKenna 2001
5 Jupiter II Magonia 2001
6 Spaceships Marat Crimea 2001
7 STS-100 - EVA Mission Audio 2001
8 Armstrong Nanci Griffith 2001
9 Universes Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra 2001
10 Spacebrock [Yule Ritual] Hawkwind 2001
11 By the Light of the Polar Star Royal Artillery Band, John Philip Sousa, Keith Brion cond. 2001
12 Beneath the Southern Cross Royal Artillery Band, John Philip Sousa, Keith Brion cond. 2001
13 Mars and Venus Royal Artillery Band, John Philip Sousa, Keith Brion cond. 2001

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

29 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2001-2

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.

SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Fly Me to the Moon Heather Wensley Quintet 2001
2 Star Trek House of Swank 2001
3 Back on Mars S.P.O.C.K 2001
4 Space Is Deep [Yule Ritual] Hawkwind 2001
5 Ionosphere Herbie Hancock 2001
6 Men Into Space Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra 2001
7 Ghosts of Mars - Main Title John Carpenter 2001
8 Марсианка The Martian Кар-мен Kar-Men 2001
9 STS-102 - Launch Mission Audio 2001
10 Telstar Laika & the Cosmonauts 2001
11 Lost in Space LBG 2001
12 Мы Дети Галактики We Are Children of the Galaxy Лев Лещенко Lev Leshchenko 2001
13 End of the Universe S.P.O.C.K 2001
14 Million Miles Red Elvises 2001
15 Men in Black Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra 2001

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

Gangale Studios Publicity Photos: Denzel Washington Tongilava

Copyright © 2016 by Dylan Gangale

Denzel Washington Tongilava

Thomas Gangale's Dogs and Cats: Stories, Songs, and Images
  

Look Back in Ankara: A Perspective on the Failed Turkish Coup

Copyright © 2016 by Thomas Gangale

19 July 2016

I am not at all surprised that the attempted coup d'etat in Turkey occurred last week. I have been expecting it for some years now. Historically, the Turkish military has had the mission of safeguarding Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's vision of a secular democracy, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an Islamist who has accumulated ever more power over the past decade, is everything that Ataturk would not have wanted in a leader of the Turkish republic which he founded. So who is the real traitor? Perhaps "traitor" is too strong a word, but Erdogan is certainly subverting Ataturk's vision

The Turkish military executed successful coups in 1960, 1971, and 1980; however, there is little evidence that senior Turkish officers have ever had political ambitions. They have always restored constitutional government after a brief period, during which they sorted out the undesirable elements and banned them from future political participation. Put simply, the Turkish military's job is to push the "reset" button when it assesses that Ataturk's system is about to crash.

A lot of Britons who voted to leave the European Union a few weeks ago out of fear that the United Kingdom would not be able to block Turkish membership and thereby prevent a tidal wave of Turkish immigrants crossing the English Channel have all the more reason to regret the price they will pay for Brexit. The attempted coup and Erdogan's repressive crackdown have set back Turkey's long held dream of EU membership by several decades. The EU is far more than simply a free trade zone; it is a zone of liberal democratic peace, and Turkey has just shown itself to be unqualified to join.

Ataturk's secular republic was a radical break from the Ottoman sultanate, and it was the first political experiment of its kind in the Muslim world. Despite its history of military coups, Turkey is one of the most democratic and least corrupt nations in the Muslim world. The only predominately Muslim states which are rated higher by various sources are: Tunisia, which has certainly had some problems with political stability having undergone a revolution five years ago; Senegal, a small, impoverished West African state; and Indonesia, the most populous Muslim state and one which has ridden the wave of economic globalization very well, but it has had democratic government for only two decades, during which it has been plagued with two secessionist movements. The rest of the Muslim world is a mess: autocratic, repressive and corrupt. There is a strong correlation between how Muslim a state's population is and how bad its government is. So Ataturk's experiment is one of the brightest stars next to the crescent moon in the firmament of Islam. Tragically, it contains the contradiction that the military is obliged to take the helm occasionally to steer the ship of state away from Islam's apparent autocratic tendencies, and although these interventions are far from being the worst deeds to occur in the Muslim world, other democracies shake their heads in disappointment if not outright disgust. It does not measure up to European standards of democracy and political stability. Thus is what keeps Turkey out of the European Union.

Again, I am not at all surprised that the attempted coup occurred last week. I am only surprised that it failed. Given that the last coup was 36 years ago, it is apparent in retrospect that the Turkish military is out of practice. I fear that we are about to find out what happens when Ataturk's system crashes and the military is unable to push the "reset" button.

Worse still, a weakened Turkish military will embolden Kurdish separatists as well as Islamic State terrorists. This is a new "domino theory" for the 21st century Middle East: The Islamic State got control of much of Iraq thanks to the bungled US military occupation, then seized the opportunity to expand into Syria as the Assad regime unraveled; next stop Turkey and the doorstep of Europe.

Furthermore, in the shifting sands of Middle Eastern power plays, it is not inconceivable that the Kurds, who have enjoyed notable military successes against the Islamic State, might cut a deal for these two non-state actors to lay off each other and go after Turkey together. Although the enemy of my enemy may also be my enemy, it may be useful to make him my friend for now.

In turn, this would put the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, of which Turkey is a member, in a real bind. NATO has already been scrambling to find its footing in the face of Russia's increasingly menacing behavior, with the US thumping on the European members of the alliance to ramp up their defense spending. One wonders how prepared NATO would be to stand off the Russians while coming to Turkey's aid in fighting two teamed-up insurgent groups, for make no mistake: repression breeds insurgencies like rotten meat breeds maggots. NATO needs to get its head around the prospect that Turkey is about to tip from being part of the strategic solution to being part of the problem.

Thomas Gangale's Lies and Politics
 

27 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2001-1

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.

SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Star Trek Encounters Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra 2001
2 Silver Machine [Canterbury Fayre] Hawkwind 2001
3 Astrogirl's Secret S.P.O.C.K 2001
4 Fly Me to the Moon Ana Caram 2001
5 Космический вальс Space Waltz Анна Герман Anna Gherman 2001
6 Initial Orbit Binary System 2001
7 Let's Fly This Winnebago to the Moon Bone Cootes 2001
8 STS-98 - Launch Mission Audio 2001
9 Babylon 5 Main Theme Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra 2001
10 Babylon 5 S.P.O.C.K 2001
11 Space Dreams Chris Pawlik 2001
12 Among the Stars Cyrex Fusion Music Crew 2001
13 Space Escalator Drop Trio 2001
14 Space Harvester Elephantum 2001

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

Gangale Studios Publicity Photos: Denzel Washington Tongilava

Copyright © 2016 by Dylan Gangale

Denzel Washington Tongilava

26 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2000-6

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.

SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Tsar Wars Space Cossacks 2000
2 Baby You Make Me Crazy Warp 11 2000
3 Crusher Warp 11 2000
4 One Small Step Ayreon 2000
5 Make It So 'TOS' Warp 11 2000
6 Deanna What's on My Mind Warp 11 2000
7 Ода Байконуру Ode to Bajkonur Тарас Ворона Taras Vorona 2000
8 Help Me Spock Warp 11 2000
9 Holosuite Woman Warp 11 2000
10 STS-92 - Launch Mission Audio 2000
11 I Always Knew I Would Die Alone Warp 11 2000
12 Montalban Warp 11 2000
13 Fly Me to the Moon Utada Hikaru 2000
14 Space Opera Warp 11 2000
15 Spock Me Shock Me Warp 11 2000
16 My House on Mars Ayreon 2000
17 Wesley Crusher-Yeah! Warp 11 2000
18 Wormhole Warp 11 2000
19 Star Trek Judy Roberts 2000

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

22 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2000-5

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.

SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Andromeda - High Guard Theme (Season Two Theme) Matthew McCauley 2000
2 Space Brock [Spacebrock] Hawkwind 2000
3 Andromeda - Dylan Hunt Matthew McCauley 2000
4 Space Cowboy (Yippie-Yi-Yay) Nsync 2000
5 Galaxy Detour Phenomenauts 2000
6 Andromeda - Earthly Emotions Matthew McCauley 2000
7 To the Solar System Ayreon 2000
8 Satellite Went Silent Quinn Fox 2000
9 Andromeda - Beka Valentine Matthew McCauley 2000
10 Komarov Regis 2000
11 STS-97 - Launch Mission Audio 2002
12 Space Race Space Cossacks 2000
13 Andromeda - Rev Bem (Wayist Theme) Matthew McCauley 2000
14 Surf Trek Rubinoos 2000
15 Space Pilots Hawkwind 2000
16 Andromeda - Sara Matthew McCauley 2000
17 Zero Gravity Mini-Skirt Seksu Roba 2000
18 Andromeda - Rommie's Love Matthew McCauley 2000
19 Moon's Theme Sir Finks 2000
20 Come and Play in the Milky Night Stereolab 2000
21 Andromeda - Season One Closing Credits Matthew McCauley 2000

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

Gangale Studios Publicity Photos: Jack Daniel "Siaki" Fainga'a

Copyright © 2016 by Dylan Gangale

Jack Daniel "Siaki" Fainga'a

We thought he would be with us for many years. Siaki (Jack) was only a year old when he was murdered in the night and eaten by Tongans. One of the perpetrators was brought to justice and paid TOP 2,000 in restitution. It wasn't enough. How could it be?

21 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2000-4

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.
SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Red Planet - Only Room for Two Graeme Revell 2000
2 Sea of Tranquility Space Cossacks 2000
3 Red Planet - Orders to Return Graeme Revell 2000
4 Red Planet - The Nematodes Graeme Revell 2000
5 O Astronauta Bibaço Astronaut Bibaço Madmud 2000
6 Red Planet - Algae Fields Graeme Revell 2000
7 Red Planet - Burchenal's Sacrifice Graeme Revell 2000
8 Out of the White Hole Ayreon 2000
9 Red Planet - The Only One Left Graeme Revell 2000
10 STS-106 - Launch Mission Audio 2000
11 Red Planet - The Cosmos Graeme Revell 2000
12 Fly to the Moon Modern Talking 2000
13 Red Planet - Alone Graeme Revell 2000
14 Red Planet - Bye, Sweetie Graeme Revell 2000
15 Walk in to Space Nexus 2000
16 Red Planet - Fuck This Planet! Graeme Revell 2000
17 Red Planet - Rendezvous in Orbit Graeme Revell 2000
18 Within One Universe There Are Millions Man or Astro-Man? 2000
19 Red Planet - Returning Graeme Revell 2000
20 Red Planet - Finale Graeme Revell 2000

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

17 July 2016

The Films of Dylan Gangale: Worshiping at the Altar of Bastet

Copyright © 2016 by Dylan Gangale


Dylan Gangale
Worshiping at the Altar of Bastet
The Mamma Cat Always Loves You

At least five times a day, Dylan answers the call to prayer of the mau-ezzin. He believes that devotion to the Mamma Cat is the one true religion; however, he would gladly cut off the arm of his cloak (the cat's pajamas) rather than disturb the sleeping Prophet, peace be unto him.

  

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2000-3

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.
SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Red Planet - Sunrise Graeme Revell 2000
2 Departure Space Cossacks 2000
3 Red Planet - Bowman Alone Graeme Revell 2000
4 Red Planet - Short Time to Live, Long Time to Wait Graeme Revell 2000
5 Earth Jam Bela Fleck & the Flecktones 2000
6 Red Planet - Santen's Death Graeme Revell 2000
7 Red Planet - The Fight Graeme Revell 2000
8 Third Planet From the Sun Jennifer Avalon 2000
9 Red Planet - Out of Air Graeme Revell 2000
10 Red Planet - We Can Breathe Graeme Revell 2000
11 STS-101 - Launch Mission Audio 2000
12 Red Planet - Camp Fire, Combat Mode Graeme Revell 2000
13 Red Planet - Engine Ignition Graeme Revell 2000
14 Life Form [Spacebrock] Hawkwind 2000
15 Red Planet - Ice Storm Graeme Revell 2000
16 Red Planet - Searching for Ground Crew Graeme Revell 2000
17 Hey Gagarin Jean-Michel Jarre 2000
18 Red Planet - Ground Crew to Mars-1 Graeme Revell 2000
19 Red Planet - Mars-1 to Ground Crew Graeme Revell 2000
20 Through the Wormhole Ayreon 2000
21 Red Planet - Faith Graeme Revell 2000
22 Red Planet - The Only Choice Graeme Revell 2000
23 Космос Space Ленинград Leningrad 2000
24 Red Planet - Bowman & Gallagher Graeme Revell 2000

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

14 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2000-2

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.
SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Red Planet - Mars Red Planet Graeme Revell 2000
2 А в небе дым And the Smoke in the Sky Тарас Ворона Taras Vorona 2000
3 Red Planet - Mars-1 Day 93 Graeme Revell 2000
4 Fly Me to the Moon DeRienzo Brothers 2000
5 Red Planet - Preparing AMEE Graeme Revell 2000
6 Red Planet - Solar Flare Graeme Revell 2000
7 Stranded on Mars Disco Volante 2000
8 Red Planet - Chantilas Remembers Graeme Revell 2000
9 Red Planet - I Got to See Mars Graeme Revell 2000
10 Into the Black Hole Ayreon 2000
11 Red Planet - Drone Dispatched Graeme Revell 2000
12 Red Planet - Crash Landing Graeme Revell 2000
13 Cossack Rocket Patrol Space Cossacks 2000
14 Red Planet - First Step on Mars Graeme Revell 2000
15 Red Planet - Stranded Graeme Revell 2000
16 Party on Saturn Seksu Roba 2000
17 Red Planet - The Hab Graeme Revell 2000

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

13 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD2000-1

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.
SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Mission to Mars - And Afterwards? Ennio Morricone 2000
2 Fly Me to the Moon Blue Eyed Swing 2000
3 Earth Calling Hawkwind 2000
4 To the Quasar Ayreon 2000
5 Spaceship Angie Aparo 2000
6 Cape Canaveral Astronaut Wife 2000
7 Mission to Mars - Ecstacy of Mars Ennio Morricone 2000
8 My Planet Rocks A:xus 2000
9 STS-99 - Launch Mission Audio 2000
10 Beyond the Third Star Space Cossacks 2000
11 Beagle 2 (Transmission Remix) Blur 2000
12 Fly Me to the Moon Carol Kidd 2000
13 Mission to Mars - Where? Ennio Morricone 2000
14 Rockin Rocket Ship Cherry Blossoms 2000
15 На Марс! To Mars! Чеврона Рутта Chervona Rutta 2000
16 The Journey [Spacebrock] Hawkwind 2000
17 Mission to Mars - An Unexpected Surprise Ennio Morricone 2000

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

12 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD1999-4

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.
SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Galaxy Quest - Prologue David Newman 1999
2 Мiй брудний космос My Messy Space Скрябiн Skryabin 1999
3 Galaxy Quest - TV Clip #3-Introducing Sarris-Revealing The Universe David Newman 1999
4 Falling Star Kurt Swinghammer 1999
5 Galaxy Quest - Transporting The Crew-Meet The Thermians David Newman 1999
6 Journey to the Stars Space Cossacks 1999
7 Galaxy Quest - Crew Quarters & The Bridge-The Launch David Newman 1999
8 Aliens Invade From Jupiter Tangerine Awkestra 1999
9 Galaxy Quest - Jason Takes Action-Sarris Tortures Captain David Newman 1999
10 Love in Space Hawkwind 1999
11 Galaxy Quest - Red Thingie, Green Thingie... Run! David Newman 1999
12 Outer Space Vetivers 1999
13 STS-103 - Launch Mission Audio 1999
14 Galaxy Quest - Shuttle To Planet-Trek Across Planet David Newman 1999
15 И зовёт нас в дорогу «Спутник» And Calling Us on the Way, Sputnik ВИА Пламя VIA Plamya 1999
16 Galaxy Quest - Rolling The Sphere-Pig Lizard-Rock Monster David Newman 1999
17 "Космос Space" "Елена Дединская Yelena Dediskaya" 1999
18 Galaxy Quest - Angry Sarris-Into The Ducts-Omega 13-Heroic Guy-Reveal Chompers-Opening The Airlock David Newman 1999
19 Марсианка The Martian Жанна Агузарова Zhanna Aguzarova 1999
20 Galaxy Quest - Goodbye Sarris-Happy Ending David Newman 1999
21 They Are Here S.P.O.C.K 1999
22 Galaxy Quest - The New Galaxy Quest David Newman 1999

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

11 July 2016

A Uterus in the Oval Office

Copyright © 2016 by Thomas Gangale

As Theresa May emerged as the United Kingdom's new prime minister, I posted on Facebook:

"WOW! What are the odds that there might be a female German chancellor, a female UK prime minister, and a female US president simultaneously? Is that hitting the trifecta or what?"

One response was:

"Yes, if you believe the primary qualification for such offices is a uterus. I'd like to think the best person should win and gender does not matter."

I replied:

"As an idealistic proposition, I would also like to think that the best person should win and gender does not matter, and race does not matter, and religion does not matter, and sexual orientation does not matter, and age does not matter, et cetera. I do not think that is a realistic outlook in a heterogeneous world. We view the world differently because of the different people we are according to one measure or another. If this were not the case, there would be no value in diversity. Our ability to understand and to learn from different perspectives makes us as individuals richer intellectually and morally, and perhaps even as a nation stronger economically and militarily. Thus, all other things being equal, diversifying the 228-year history of the US presidency to include one uterus is a good in itself if it happens."

On a lighter note, another person responded:

"You forgot that France has a female president."

I replied:

"Eh? François Hollande est une femme? Dites-le est pas!"

Thomas Gangale's Lies and Politics


10 July 2016

Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection, CD1999-3

It's the "ultimate" because this trip through music, space, and time keeps growing. More than 2,700 music tracks organized chronologically, spanning more than a century, plus voice clips from space missions and other historical events. More than 200 hours of musical exploration... and counting.
SelectionTitlePerformerRelease
Year
1 Mariner No. 4 Penetrators 1999
2 Beach House on the Moon Jimmy Buffett 1999
3 Spacewalk S.P.O.C.K 1999
4 Beyond the Sky Judy Collins 1999
5 STS-93 - Launch Mission Audio 1999
6 Улетим на Сатурн We Will Fly to Saturn Крыс и Шмендра Krys & Shmendra 1999
7 White Russians Kurt Swinghammer 1999
8 Out There S.P.O.C.K 1999
9 Alien Lover Luscious Jackson 1999
10 See You Space Cowboy Mai Yamane 1999
11 Interstellar Hardrive Man or Astro-Man? 1999
12 Таких не берут в космонавты! These They Do Not Take to the Cosmonauts! Манго Манго Mango Mango 1999
13 Космос Kosmos ПЕП-СИ PEP-SI 1999
14 War of the Satellites Sir Finks 1999
15 Wolf in the Fold S.P.O.C.K 1999
16 Космонавт Петров Cosmonaut Petrov Red Elvises 1999

Index to Countdown to Yuri's Night: The Ultimate Space Music Collection

08 July 2016

Is Asteroid Mining Legal?

Copyright © 2016 by Thomas Gangale

In his article, Is Asteroid Mining Legal? The Truth Behind Title IV of the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015, Sagi Kfir, General Counsel for Deep Space Industries, writes, "People often ask, 'Is asteroid mining legal, especially considering the Outer Space Treaty of 1967?' The simple answer is: Yes."

Kfir's argument is that asteroid mining is legal because the 2015 US statute invokes the Outer Space Treaty, and in turn, "...it is indisputable under international law that any nation, which is a party to the Outer Space Treaty, has the right as a sovereign nation to interpret and implement its treaty rights on a national level."

This is a very weak argument. It implies that a sovereign nation has the right to interpret a treaty as it pleases, which is incorrect. Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties lays out the rules by which treaties are to be interpreted. Regardless of how clever one's argument may be, black is still black.

The principal point of the controversy over the legality of asteroid mining is the interpretation of Article II of the Outer Space Treaty, which Kfir does not even mention. The real question is whether Article II prohibits asteroid mining, and Kfir does not answer it.

Thomas Gangale in Outer Space!
Thomas Gangale's Lies and Politics
 

05 July 2016

The American Plan and the National Presidential Primary: A Perfect Match?

Copyright © 2016 by Thomas Gangale

Rob Richie, executive director of FairVote, today called my attention to an article he published last month,
"The Case for a One-Person, One-Vote National Primary To Nominate Our Presidential Candidates in 2020." I just now wrote a response:

Following up the American Plan process with a national primary is an intriguing idea. For one thing, I certainly don't mind my idea being mentioned in the same breath with Woodrow Wilson's... that's not bad company! (It was Wilson who first proposed a national presidential primary.) If sold as a package deal, your idea simultaneously solves two rather opposite problems: the American Plan, while being a good process, is just complicated enough to make most people's eyes glaze over, which makes it a tough sell; the national primary, as a stand-alone solution, would be horrible, yet it is so simple that lots of people love it. It's a good marriage; each compensates for the other's weaknesses, and they combine their strengths.

One aspect that should not be glossed over, however, is that although the national presidential primary would probably have a large turnout, which would benefit primary races for other offices, turnout for the American Plan phase would likely be depressed because it would not allocate delegates bound to the presidential candidates (it is the national primary which would do this). The American Plan phase might be widely perceived as a nothing more than a series of "beauty contests," although in reality it would serve an important role as the winnowing process for the national primary. Moreover, I suspect that states would not be pleased at the expensive prospect of holding two presidential primaries rather than one (some states hold their Republican and Democratic primaries on separate days, but it's rare). It was for this reason that California moved its presidential primary back to its traditional date in early June, consolidated with the state's other primary races. To avoid this expense, I would anticipate what would occur is a reversal of the 20th century trend of more primaries and fewer caucuses, with the American Plan phase becoming increasingly a caucus-driven process. Growing up in California, which adopted the primary system a century ago as one of its Progressive Era reforms, I was averse to caucuses as weird, old fashioned, and less democratic, so a few months ago I probably would have disliked the prospect of the American Plan process comprising an increasing number of caucuses, but I have recently reassessed my position on caucuses. The argument in favor of caucuses is that the participants tend to be more invested in time and more politically tuned in than the average primary voter who just walks into the polling place and punches a card based on some broadcast political ads. I'd have to do the research, but I suspect that Donald Trump didn't do nearly as well in caucus states as in primary states because he had no organization, no "ground game;" the primary-driven process that has evolved to this day allowed him to get by with just an "air game." Also, I wonder whether some primary voters are victims of a false consciousness, believing that they can be casually irresponsible in voting for a candidate which, if they gave it some thought, they really would be horrified to see in the White House, but it doesn't matter very much since the next state on the primary schedule can vote differently, so they can lodge a protest vote. We may have taken that Progressive Era reform too far. So on that score also I like your proposal of the American Plan process followed by a national primary, in that it might "restore balance to the Force." The national primary would be the last chance for voters to come to their senses. Do we really want to do this? This is not an exercise. On my mark, rotate your key....

Warmest regards.

I'm Tom Gangale and I approved this message.

Thomas Gangale's Lies and Politics